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Articles -
Music Biz Articles
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Saturday, 12 June 2004 11:54 |
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This issue we continue with what you should look for in an indie promoter.
The following are the more subtle things you should look for when hiring
one...
CONTACTABILITY: This is probably going to be the one thing that you end up
really liking or disliking about the way your indie operates. Some indies
are always there when you call, others are never there. The ones who never
answer will invariably tell you, "I spend all my time on the phone talking
with the stations... Isn't that what you want me to do with your project?"
Good try. What these non-contactable indies are actually doing is spending
"some" time on the phone with "some" stations, and spending a lot more time
dining at restaurants and seeing friends. And if you thought it was
difficult reaching them before you hire them, just wait until AFTER they get
your money. I see this again and again and again. If you think about it,
an indie's sole job is to talk on the phone. Why then, if they are there by
the phone, would they not pick up when you call? What if a station calls?
And that is exactly it: They are NOT there when a station calls... because
they REALLY DON'T spend that much time talking to stations on the phone.
They only want you to think that they do. And worse, if they say they give
clients (and potential clients) a different phone number to call than the
one they give the stations, then you can guarantee that you (the paying
client) will never get that person on the phone when you need them (or much
less, to be able to spend any time learning from them.)
A true indie promoter is a non-stop call center, who gives TOP priority to
incoming calls. They should have several people available to answer calls;
if everyone is still on the phone when the phone rings, someone should HANG
UP and answer that incoming call. Remember, incoming calls are top
priority... it could be a station, and stations normally only call when they
have good news.
REPORTS: Reports are a requirement that well-organized promoters provide to
you. There is no other way you are going to be able to understand (within
an hour) what is going on with your airplay each week... much less let
someone else (stores, papers, clubs) know what is going on, without a
report.
OFFICE: If the promoter does not have an office (even a small one), then
you will be competing with things like the promoter's sleep, TV, neighbors,
dinner, etc.
ASSISTANTS: If a promoter handles more than one genre of music at the same
time, or if the promoter does college radio at all, then assistants are
mandatory. The phone calls have to be made, and no one person can call more
than 150 stations a week AND do reports AND do faxes AND do emails AND talk
to you when you call. Impossible.
COMPUTER LITERATE: I don't have to go into how important computers are
becoming. But I should mention that as web radio becomes used like regular
radio, those promoters that are not up on computers are going to have a
problem. Already, web radio is used in the college CMJ charts, and some
commercial charts.
COLLEGE RADIO: College should be considered for every campaign, even if you
are doing high-level commercial radio. College radio is relatively
inexpensive, and will make some good looking charts and reports to show
retail, press and clubs.
FAXES: Serious promoters uses faxes; faxing is simply the fastest way to
get a one-page synopsis of info to the stations... with pictures if needed.
They are not cheap, but a good promoter should still include these faxes.
EMAILS: While you may get excited about email, remember that since email is
free, stations get them from every artist on the planet. And all the emails
look the same. So in order to build a project, you must use faxes and
calls, because most artists can't afford them (and that is why you will
stand out.)
REFERENCES: Any promoter worth consideration will have a list of clients or
past clients. What you are looking for is a promoter with projects that are
on your (independent) level. A list of "big" clients, however, means the
promoter is used to having massive help from major label staff promoters,
national tours, retail promotions, advertising, not to mention hundreds of
newspaper, magazine, and TV appearances. Since that promoter will not have
these with your project, you will be very difficult for them to work. You
need a promoter who is set up to work with indie projects like yours.
Besides, real "major label" promoters DO NOT take indie projects.
More likely, however, the "major label" promoter was actually not the
promoter that worked the major projects inf the first place. They were
probably just assistants in the office, or were mail people, or more often
than not, they were just outright lying. Happens all the time. You will
have to ask the artist directly to find out.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 20 December 2008 10:32 |
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